The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-10-20

HOI SeelH 10 DC aHdte ludI any tHIAS
| was wrong.
81 certainly shall not enlighten him, y"
she declared to herself, '.but l will see
what can do with Lucy when he is
gone. Ignoranee IS bliss in such a case
as this. Why, he would fret himself
to fiddlestrings if he thought she were
i'll"
When the morning arrived which
witnessed Mr. Dalton's departure to
the north, Edith noticed more than
ever that her friend was laboring
under some emotion which was not
uncOnnected. 50 it seemed to her, with
excitement.
Edith withdrew to let the couple say
farewell. As she went into the draw
ing-rOOm. her thoughts flew for the
first time to her father and his mar
riage scheme.
81 suppose 1 hal better write and
tell the poor old man that l consent to
meet Mr.. Rochdale. 1t can do no harm
at any rate, and | can't possibly marry
him without seeing him first L will
90 home a. the end of this week.
The first day OF Mr. Dalton's absence
passed much rs usual. On the second,
Mrs. Dalton drove out with her friend
and child. and did some shopping. As
they returned to the comfortable villa
near Regents Park, they met
woman carryinga parcel in her hand,
evidently bound for a journey.
why. that is Parker. is it not?"
Edith said suddenly; lis she going
away. Lucy?"
Parker was the housemaid at the
villa.
Yes" Mrs. Dalton murmured. stop
ping with a hurried gesture to push
some parcels on to the seat opposite.
''She has been wanting to 60 home for
some time, and l thought now Herbert
was away it was good chance to give
her holiday"
Edith acquieSced in this, and did not
observe Lucy's face flush crimson and
then fade to deathly pallor as she
spoke; indeed, at that moment they
turned in at the gates; and Parker was
forgotten.
The two women dined rather drear-
lily, for Lucy was strang Aly dull, and
Edith was suddenly attacked by an I'M
usual and disagreeable toothache,
''Why not go to bed Edith?" Mrs.
Dalton suggested as the clock struck
nine and they were back in the draw
ing-roOm.
Edith felt desperately cross with her.
self. "A nice person l am to cheer any
one up" she thought viciously. She
was more than annoyed that so trivial
but painful an ailment should visit her
when she was the possessor of so rarely
white and even a set of teeth. She was
not easily beaten, but after half an
hour had gone, during which she had
been too uncomfortable to notice the
strange, restless manner in which Lucy
fidgeted about, she threw up the sponge
and declared for bed.
Let me bring you some brandy
and-water, and it will make you sleep"
was Mrs. DaltOn's eager request
And Edith was obliged to permit her
friend to perform this charitable office.
and see her to her room. She babe
Lucy good night, and after wild de-
sire to bang her head against the wall.
drank the brandy with shudder, and
after short while dropped Of into a
delightful slumber. in which every
twinge of pain WAS lost. All at once
she awoke with Il start, and her heart |
beat in an uneven fashion; she sat up
in bed and looked at her watch-just |
twelve o'clock; she had slept, then,
over two hours soundly, and the re-
fractory tooth WAS subdued. She was
slipping her watch under the pillow
when again she started; it had been no
delusion, footsteps were passing down
the landing. Like lightning Edith was
out of bed and had thrown on her |
dressing gown. Her courage faltered |
for moment, for Edith was only a |
girl, and hideous stories of pistols and |
hasty shooting by latter-day burglars
came to her mind; but it was only for
a moment; then taking her candle in
hand, she went as noiselessly as posi-
BILE to the head of the stairs and passed |
down. All was still. and from the
Pickering light of the hall-lamp she
could see there was no one left as SEN
tinel or spy; so she determined. not
without curious sensation at her
heart, to creep boldly down. recon-
hotter. and then go back and rouse the
house. She made very little noise in
descending. and at last stood in the
hall. The voice was still faint, and she
paused to listen before proceeding.
The next instant she was at the dining
room door and had thrown it wide
open.
A Smothered woman's shrek and an
oath greeted her. and a lump seemed
to rise in her throat.
Lucy" she said. in choked, hardly
audible tones, ''your child is up stairs
and needs you at once"
Without word, but with face rs
white as death, Lucy passed her in the
doorway. and the quick step up the
stairs testified to the existence of the
mothers sudden dread and pain.
The man left thus stranded was
young, of a dark. handsome type, at
tired in evening dress.
He stared at the girl before him with |
contracted brow, and looked, as he !
must have felt wretchedly ill at ease.
You. sIr, whoever you may be,
please leave this house at once"